The document provides tips from various readers for planning safe and enjoyable family holidays and travel, including packing lightly, going with your preferred booking site, being flexible, learning some local phrases of places you visit, and checking flight times for kids. Useful travel information websites and planning resources are also listed.

1. No, I am not willing
to pay £1 to go to
the toilet in-flight!
Travel Rants Reader Travel Tips
Tips to help you plan a safe and enjoyable holiday this summer
© 2009 Travel Rants. All rights reserved Page 1 / 10

2. Travel Rants Reader Travel Tips
You’ll find good reviews and bad reviews for nearly every destination and if you find an
almost too good to bet true deal, book right then and there. Go ahead and have that
cheeky glass of wine if it will help you sleep on the long haul flight.
Andy Sharing Experiences
Treat all online travel reviews like mildly entertaining fiction. Take a guidebook. Read.
Then dump. A guidebook does not deliver gospel truth. There’s always somebody who’s
paid less than you. Don’t let it ruin your day.
Matthew Quite Alone
When I’ve found a site I like to book on, I just go with it. I might shop around based on
location, but I’m not going to then go out and compare prices all over the place. By the
time you’ve checked ten sites and figured out they are more expensive when you add
on who knows what fee, you’ve wasted an hour of your time at £’s
Sam Travellerspoint
© 2009 Travel Rants. All rights reserved Page 2 / 10

3. Travel Rants Reader Travel Tips
Tip for the ladies: dress so you feel/look good, but don’t shy away from the camera just
because you’re wearing your swimming costume or no makeup. Otherwise you’ll end
up with little to no holiday photos.
Vero That Canadian Girl
Don’t over plan: the more you plan, the more can go wrong. When things do go wrong
just roll with it and think “how can I turn this around & have fun,” rather than, “I’m
going to spend the remainder of my hard earned holiday moaning about this.”
Andy Gone Further
I would add from my experiences, always remember that you are an ambassador for
your country. Be that gracious tourist and extend yourself to those locals that you
come in contact with.
Trisha Travel Writers Exchange
© 2009 Travel Rants. All rights reserved Page 3 / 10

4. Travel Rants Reader Travel Tips
Travel slowly. Instead of planning a few attractions per day, only plan one attraction and
take a break and enjoy the local scenes. Kids love public transportation especially Metro
or subway. Check out the route and enjoy the ride.
Amy The Q Family Adventures
Our last trip to France brought us our biggest travel with kids tip ever, pack only what
you can carry. You can’t depend on the availability of luggage carts, porters or even
working elevators.
Kim Marie Travelling Mom
When looking for holidays I would advice parents to look at the flight time and also
consider what time that means waking up in the morning, a 07:00 flight like sound OK
when you book but that might mean waking up early.
Rob Family Breaks
© 2009 Travel Rants. All rights reserved Page 4 / 10

5. Travel Rants Reader Travel Tips
Books are my favourite tip! Get kids books about a place to read before, during and
after the trip. It adds so much and can make even a little one feel more connected to a
place and “make it her/his own”.
Jeanne Soultravelers3
When packing for a family trip, pack a suitcase for every 2-3 days rather than one per
person. If the kids are peaceful in the car, continue on. They’ll let you know when they
need a break. It is possible to travel with children and without a DVD player in the car.
Linda Travels with Children
Wrap toys brought for entertainment, extra fun to unwrap. Keep all of baby’s toiletries,
bottles & food together in one carry-on easier for security clearance. Distribute things
amongst your luggage, if a bag is lost it’s not the one with all the baby stuff.
Corinne Have Baby will Travel
© 2009 Travel Rants. All rights reserved Page 5 / 10

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7. Travel Rants Reader Travel Tips
Reader Tips for France
If driving you must have original documents, i.e. car licence, insurance & V5. Copies not
accepted. Fluorescent vest & warning triangle are now a legal requirement. Fines for
non-compliance. Learn a few simple phrases: Bonjour, Merci, Au revoir.
Stu A Slice of Ex Pat(e)
Try to see the three best Provence city : Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, better
time to travel in Provence is May to June and September to October, you will find
better prices, not to much tourists and very nice weather.
Claude Hotel iTour
If you are the driver, be careful, drink-drive limits are lower than in the UK and there are
regular checks. Ask the winery for a spittoon – crachoir in French. Many wine producers
are only open to visit by appointment.
Wink Wine Travel Guides
© 2009 Travel Rants. All rights reserved Page 7 / 10

8. Travel Rants Reader Travel Tips
Switzerland Get maximum value from punctual and scenic train travel with one of the
many rail passes available. Travel between regions on the special scenic train and bus
routes. Visit the Alpine fortifications at Bellinzona en route to the southern Lakes.
Mark Mark’s Travel Notes
Australia Jet lag tip is to sleep until lunchtime, then get up and try and keep to local
time for the rest of the day. Buy an ‘open-jaw’ ticket and this means you can arrive into
one city, leave from another. Remember to get a visa; they’re easy to apply for online.
Lucy Lucy Loves Australia
Puerto Rico Three must sees – Old San Juan, El Yunque Rainforest and a Bio Bay Trip. If
you are looking for a quieter spot consider the islands of Vieques or Culebra, located
just off the north east coast of Puerto Rico.
Brian Visit the Coqui
© 2009 Travel Rants. All rights reserved Page 8 / 10

9. Travel Rants Reader Travel Tips
Useful Travel Information Websites
Foreign, Commonwealth Office
Identify and Passport Service
European Health Insurance Card
Fit for Travel
Travel Rants Consumer Guides
Trip Planning Tips
Learning the Local Language
Travel money abroad
Trip Planning Websites
Travellerspoint
Tripwolf
World Reviewer
Travelmuse
© 2009 Travel Rants. All rights reserved Page 9 / 10

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Travel Rants Reader Travel Tips
Thank you to everyone who has participated in producing this guide.
© 2009 Travel Rants. All rights reserved Page 10/10